The arrival of the East African Community’s (EAC) newest member – the Democratic Republic of Congo – could come as a cropper after a diplomatic spat erupted with Rwanda, awakening years of squabbles between the two neighbouring countries.

RwandAir’s statement last week announcing the suspension of flights into Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Goma among other towns in DRC erupted like a volcano, which must quickly be doused.

Since the move bears heavy political undertones, it probably gives the EAC its first test of the rift between Rwanda and DRC, following claims Rwanda is funding rebels in the eastern province of Kivu.

The EAC must step in quickly and calm down the growing tension before it gets out of hand.

It is unimaginable that the expansive and mineral-rich nation which has been ravaged by war-making it inaccessible despite its huge potential can roll back gains made in the last decade.

As a matter of fact, if the tension escalates all investments made could be lost, further eroding the region’s appeal as an investment and business destination. Indeed, with a population of 92 million people, well-endowed with natural resources and strategic location, DR Congo was primed to expand EAC’s potential.

It is for the good of the nation and region that peace prevails. EAC must move in one accord and ensure the rising political temperature calm down and rethink military action while developing a comprehensive plan for negotiations with armed groups.

DRC’s President Félix Tshisekedi may have opened Pandora’s box when he invited troops from neighbouring countries to fight local rebels.

That should be considered water under the bridge and it is important for EAC and Tshisekedi to mull ways to set better rules for foreign intervention, and possibly dissuade the deployment of forces across the border.

So far the thinking has been that DRC was a good fit for the EAC and the country itself. Hopefully, the outcome of this move should be an eye-opener for Ethiopia and Somalia, which may also join the bloc.

The region must not allow the forces of war to shift the focus. It is upon every leader in the region to look at the bigger picture and let the region be.

At any given time, peace is better than war, and the world has learnt a lot from the geopolitics of war from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, so EAC better put its act together and cushion the country from further disintegration.